P52 - Week 51 - T'was the Morning Before Finals

He's SO CLOSE to the finish line for this semester! And he's running low on energy ...


But thankfully he has his bulldogges to provide physical and emotional support! The three of them will snooze like this until breakfast is ready (for all 3 of them) then the Boy will get busy with starting his day for real. This Boy loves his pups! And as you can tell, they love him right back!

What a blessing!

P52 - Week 50 - Recipe for Academic Success

"So you think you want to be a (Renaissance) Baker?!"

Wonder Boy cooked up (yes, sad little pun intended!) this "game show" idea as part of a project for his World History class. I thought it was a pretty clever way to tackle the project. Many of the kids in class paired up to work on this project, but the Boy found himself the odd man out this time, so he had to get creative in a way to involve others without actually making them part of the work-side of the project.


As part of the project, he had to bake some fresh bread using a recipe for "Rustic Rye Bread" we found on-line. It turned out GREAT and I'm glad that we got to enjoy that part of the project at home (he only needed photos of him baking for the project).

I say it a lot, but I'm going to repeat myself here: I am SO PROUD of the effort that the Boy puts into his school work! As has become "the norm" for the end of a semester, he is bogged down with multiple projects and exams - all with due dates before the holiday break! But he just puts his head down and gets his work done. And as proud as I feel about the grades he brings home, it is his effort and attention to detail that truly warm my heart!

P52 - Week 43 - Dapper Dan Man

It's orchestra concert night at Wonder Boy's high school, so it's a chance to see our favorite guy get dressed to the 9s in his tux!

He's in need of a hair cut, so he had to use a generous amount of pomade (actually, hair gel) to get this dapper look down, so we dubbed him our "Dapper Dan Man!"


Two points if you know the movie reference!

Now ... off to the concert!

P52 - Week 40 - Super Sweet 16

Sixteen is a serious milestone! Wonder Boy is not one for big celebrations but we can't let a bid day like this go by without some kind of shin dig to mark the occasion.


The Boy requested his all time favorite dinner - carnitas served in bacon taco shells - and a nice big pizookie for dessert.

We've had a tough week, so ordering up a favorite dinner and dessert was the very least we could do! And in the end, I think he had a good day.

As for me, I really can't gush enough with how proud we are of this young man. He is the light in our lives! I love his wacky sense of humor and his insatiable curiosity. I admire his self confidence and his gentle heart.

I am so proud of this amazing SIXTEEN year old! He is my favorite 16 year old in the history of 16 year olds.

P52 - Week 39 - Double Trouble

Oh, these two! Talk about Trouble with a capital T!


These two are just a match made in heaven! Wonder Boy loves his Mutt and the Mutt thinks the Boy simply belongs to him.

Wonder Mutt gets to share a room with the Boy and that means cuddles like this are common place!

P52 - Week 38 - Mr. Musica

I gush about it all the time, but I am just in AWE with Wonder Boy's musical abilities. Everything started with the viola, it grew exponentially with the piano, and now seems to be capped off by the classical guitar. The Boy's musical gifts are just that ... GIFTS ... to the whole family. Even the furry, four-legged family members love it when he plays.


But it is Wonder Dad and I that seem to get the most out of practice time at our home!

I know Wonder Dad took a huge leap of faith when he sold off his own electric bass guitar to make this particular musical endeavor possible for the Boy. But it has evolved into such a special time for us, I am so glad he was willing to make that personal sacrifice for the enjoyment of the whole family.

The Boy has started some on-line lessons and we are hoping that it will work out for him as I think he's picked up about all that he can from watching YouTube videos.

P52 - Week 36 - Music Calms the Savage Beast

Our puppy princess might not appreciate being called a "beast," but she really does love listening to the Boy practice his musical instruments.


We ALL enjoy it actually, especially on a weary Friday evening like this one.

We are all beginning to adjust to the new schedule that comes with the new school year. Wonder Boy is adjusting to the increased workload his teachers are expecting from him. And we're all doing our best to establish a "new normal."

So it was especially nice when the Boy pulled out his guitar for a little practice tonight. He played for over an hour and even took some requests towards the end. It was the PICTURE PERFECT way to unwind at the end of a long week!

P52 - Week 35 - A Minor Delay

It's been an "interesting" week around these parts as Hurricane Harvey tore its way across Texas. We are so blessed to have been spared the worst. In fact, we only had to hunker down and endure a bit of cabin fever while the winds and rain howled outside.

For the Boy, however, the biggest impact was that his summer vacation was extended by an extra day due to the storm.


He's ready to go back, regardless of what he says. He's been considerably more idle this summer than in any summer I can recall. And I know he craves routine and structure almost as much as I do. But even more than that, I know he's ready to be with his friends again.

I hope he has a FANTASTIC sophomore year!

P52 - Week 33 - Be Still My Heart

I'm having one of those "mommy moments." My Wonder Boy (Wonder Guy?) is on the door step of his sophomore year of high school, tenth grade; he's also a few weeks away from turning 16 years old (& all that that entails) and my heart is all mush.


I'm excited for him and I simply LOVE watching him grow and change and ... I don't know ... EVOLVE ever more into such a fine young man. It's not that I miss the days when a kiss from mom and a chocolate chip cookie made for the BEST.DAY.EVER for him. It's not that he's filled with teenage angst. But I still find myself clutching to every possible minute with him right now.

I don't want to return to the past (though I certainly like to reflect on it on a regular basis) but I'll admit that I'm in no rush to meet the future either. I truly want to embrace this particular moment that is so ripe with possibility.

P52 - Week 29 - Homecoming

Wonder Boy has been off at camp for the past couple of weeks, but today we welcomed him back home!


I know it's just a phone snap, but I was so glad to just have us all back together today that I didn't want the hassle of dragging out the big camera. Plus, this one was taken on the Boy's new phone (long story). Not too bad for low light, back light, and no flash imho.

I am very glad that the Boy enjoys his summer get-aways to camp each year. I know he is soaking up the taste of freedom that comes with camp.

But with that said, I sleep better when all 3 of us are safely tucked into our own beds.

I am trying to drink in every moment we have left before our Boy heads off to college. And this is one of those moments!

P52 - Week 27 - Mas Musica

I've made no secret about the fact that my dear Wonder Boy loves to make music (nor that I love to HEAR HIM make music)! Since school got out for the summer, he's been hinting around that he'd like to add another instrument to his répertoire.


The boy's dad was generous enough to let him test the waters with his electric guitar and Wonder Boy hit the ground running. But the modern, metallic quality of sound from an electric instrument was not the tone that spoke to the Boy's heart. So we traded in a bass guitar that was gathering dust in a closet and indulged the boy with a classical acoustic guitar for his learning pleasure.

He jumped in with both feet and after only a few quick YouTube lessons, he was strumming out some really nice tunes! We're hoping when his summer travel is done, to find him a local tutor to at least cover the basics with him. But I have to tell you, as much as the Boy loves piano, as much as he enjoys his viola, he seems to have a real knack for the guitar!

And my ears are loving every minute of it!

P52 - Week 25 - Like Father, Like Son

Happy Father's Day to the most amazing Dad on the planet!


These two ... what can I say? They are different in so many ways, but I see more and more of his father coming out in our Wonder Boy each and every day. And nothing else makes my heart so happy!

The gun show here was prompted by Wonder Boy showing off the gains he's made in a weight lifting class he's been taking the last 6 weeks or so. He seems to truly enjoy it and his progress has been very quick. It won't be long until he has the biggest arsenal in the family!

P52 - Week 22 - Fond Farewall

It's never easy to bid farewell to a friend and mentor, but saying it with a cookie cake helps to take a bit of the sting out of it.


Today we had to say our good-byes to Wonder Boy's long time piano teacher. Mr J earned his degree this month and is looking to write the next chapter of his life in another location. And while we do wish we could have kept him with us for a while longer, we wish him the absolute best in his endeavors!

He has given us all a very special gift. He has fostered a true love of music in our Wonder Boy, a love that we get to experience each and every time he touches those piano keys. But he gave Wonder Boy even more than that! He gave of his time and energy outside of piano lessons. We appreciated his visits to the Boy's orchestra performances as well as the invitations to watch him perform with the TAMU Percussion Studio.

In short, not only did our Boy gain an amazingly talented teacher, he gained a friend with whom he built memories to last a lifetime!

THANK YOU Mr. J! We appreciate all you did for the Boy and for our family. Blessings to you as you start this next stage of your life!

P52 - Week 20 - Mom's Day

One of my favorite days of the year is Mother's Day. It's not that I need some red-letter day on the calendar for my boys to show me their love and affection, they both do a great job of making sure I am loved and appreciated on a daily basis. But there is something about the second Sunday in May that always gives me pause.

It's not exactly a secret, but I wasn't sure, growing up, that I would be well suited for motherhood. I resisted it for a very long time. My better half married me knowing that children were a long shot at best. He had a heart for family, so I was surprised that this wasn't a "deal breaker" for him. But I am oh so blessed that he decided to ride this roller coaster of life with me anyway.

We were married for nearly a decade before I was ready to take the plunge into parenthood. And I must admit that, aside from my marriage, it has been the greatest blessing I have ever experienced in this life. So this is my day each year to be thankful that I changed my mind, that I took a chance on this amazing adventure that is parenthood. I couldn't do it without my partner in crime. He is everything I am not and it is only together that I can walk this particular road.

We actually had a very laid back day since Wonder Boy was swamped under with school work. But we did make it out and about for lunch at my favorite local Tex-Mex place. And then we splurged and went out again for dinner - though technically, that was to satisfy one of Wonder Boy's class assignments.

I think I needed the slower pace this year. I find myself trying to hold onto every minute now that the clock is ticking before our Boy heads off for college and forging his own path in this world. It was a good day and I couldn't ask for anything more!

P52 - Week 19 - Grinding It Out

Every year, since the early days of elementary school, Wonder Boy has struggled to stay focused for the last month of school. It's like his gas tank empties and he's running on fumes.


I'm afraid to say that his freshman year of high school is proving to be no exception of the rule. Right now, he's juggling state mandated end of course exams, projects in several classes, including one group project that is driving him batty, and finals.

I know he has a lot on his plate, but I also know that he is up to the task of keeping up his high standard of work. He will certainly have earned his summer rest though!

P52 - Week 12 - Academic Accolades

It's a proud mama moment for me! The boy and his UIL programming team teammates had a GREAT showing at the district UIL meet!


Being this is his freshman year, he wasn't in the know when it came to opportunities like the UIL Programming Team (and they didn't have that even in the dark ages when I was in school). So it was a complete surprise to him when his Programming teacher invited him to join the team late in the fall semester. She gave him some sample test materials and advised him to read over them over the Christmas break. He did that and was ready to go when competition season began in the spring semester.

The team did a couple of practice meets and then they really made their mark at the district meet!

Wonder Boy finished 5th overall in the individual competition and his team took FIRST PLACE in the team challenge event! Wonder Boy is the only freshman on the team. He partners with a senior and a junior for the challenge event.

To say we are proud of him is such an understatement!

But the BEST PART BY FAR is seeing how much he enjoys the challenge. We know that it is this kind of drive that will take him far in this life! (not that we're biased or anything)

P52 - Week 6 - Licensed to Learn

My dear Wonder Boy had one of those "milestone moments" this week - he received his learner's permit.


He's now officially "street legal." Right now, his dad takes him out on Sunday mornings for lessons. Plus, he's been in a class for the last month. He starts the driving portion of the class in just another week.

I have such mixed emotions about this particular milestone.

I'm proud of him, of course. I'm also petrified for him. Not because I'm worried about what he might do behind that wheel, though I would be fooling myself if I didn't admit that this wasn't at least a portion of my fear. But what TRULY digs at me is what someone ELSE could do to him.

This "letting go" part of parenthood may be the toughest part of all. I want to scream "I'M NOT READY!" But it really doesn't matter if *I* am ready. Time keeps on ticking. And the Boy believes he is ready. *sigh*

I believe in him. And I will be praying like mad every time he hits the streets. And, in time, I tool will adjust.

P52 - Week 2 - For the Love of Music

This week's entry is very special to me. It features my Wonder Boy and highlights his ever growing love of music:


Long before he was aware of it, Wonder Boy has always been moved by music. As a toddler, he loved to bounce around the living room to his favorite tunes. There were many times when he was engrossed with a particular toy or activity, music playing in the background, and we would see him unconsciously grooving to the beat. It always brought a smile to my face.

When he graduated elementary school and moved up to intermediate school, he was so excited at the prospect of being able to join the orchestra and he's never looked back from there!

Fast forward to his first year of high school (that's now, btw), and we find the Boy getting ever more serious about his music studies. Without being prompted or encouraged, he has more than doubled his practice time. He is excited about the pieces he is learning, about new techniques he is trying to master, and he endeavors to be a leader in his school orchestra.

One day I will share the story of picking out this beautiful instrument (it's a doozie!). But for today I just want to celebrate this next step in Wonder Boy's musical development. He loves to play and his skill is catching up to his desires. Our home is filled with music and we are truly blessed that this is the case!

Thank you, Dear Boy, for sharing this gift with your family!

Dapper Dan

Wonder Boy had a day off from school today so I thought it would be a good day to do a test fit of his orchestra uniform. I have to admit that I think he looks particularly dapper in his tux!


I am truly looking forward to their fist concert at the end of this month!

My Favorite Fish

Continuing on the vein of my favorite things ... this is my favorite "fish."


My Wonder Boy is now a freshman in high school.

I don't have any idea how that happened! But I will say, as much as I miss the super hero phase or the always-in-my-lap phase, I'm really enjoying this stage of Wonder Boy's development as well. He has a really quirky sense of humor and a super quick wit. He is still amazingly affectionate (at least in the privacy of our home) and he makes his father and I proud every day.

And as a bonus, he's tall enough to get things off of the top shelf in the kitchen for me now!